Help Save the California Breast Cancer Research Program

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ACTION ALERT!

Help Save the California Breast Cancer Research Program

The California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) provides funding for
innovative breast cancer research in California. The impact of its research--which
includes topics such as environmental exposures, disparities, psychosocial impacts,
tumor biology, and more--fuels changes in how breast cancer is dealt with nationally
and internationally. Now, the future of this program is in jeopardy.
In order to save money, the University of California Office of the President (UCOP),
the administrative home for the CBCRP, has decided to gut the CBCRP. They are
planning to transfer the funding of breast cancer research to a small, generic
"Grants Central" unit and essentially eliminate the planning, evaluation, and
information dissemination functions.

Since its inception CBCRP has spent an average of 4.18% on administration and 7.89%
on planning, evaluation, and dissemination. The rest, over $200M, has gone to
innovative breast cancer research. The shift that is planned would eliminate the
ability to fund the best breast cancer research, which is only possible by
evaluating what has been done and planning for future projects. Dissemination and
translation of research--getting the research results out to the community and
providers--is essential to any ethical research funding program.

BCA helped form the CBCRP in 1992 and has been instrumental in moving the program
forward as a member of its advisory council for the last fifteen years. The program
is run by an unprecedented collaboration of survivors, advocates, activists,
scientists, clinicians, and researchers. UCOP bureaucrats think they are better
suited to determine what breast cancer research is funded then the women and men who
work on this disease every day.

Take action to save this program! Tell UCOP to leave CBCRP alone. Send the
letter below to the Chairman of the UC Regents and ask him to stop this travesty.

Email your letter to the Chairman of the Regents of the University of California:
rblum [at] blumcapital.com

Be sure to copy the people below who administer the University of California, and
please copy pojea [at] bcaction.org so we'll know how many people have taken action:

dgresser [at] blumcapital.com
Diane.Griffiths [at] ucop.edu
Robert.Dynes [at] ucop.edu
Rory.Hume [at] ucop.edu
Steven.Beckwith [at] ucop.edu
apadilla [at] orrick.com

Sample Letter:
Feel free to personalize the letter, including information about your experience
with CBCRP if appropriate.

Richard C. Blum, Chairman
University of California Regents
1111 Franklin Street, 12th floor
Oakland, CA 94607

Dear Mr. Blum,

I am writing to ask you to stop the efforts by UCOP to gut the California Breast
Cancer Research Program (CBCRP). A generic grants central unit cannot provide the
level of insightful funding CBCRP has done for years.

CBCRP was founded and is run by survivors, advocates, activists, scientists,
clinicians, and researchers who focus on this disease every day. We do not want or
need more breast cancer research funding at the expense of smart breast cancer
research funding.

Tell the staff at UCOP to leave CBCRP alone and to allow CBCRP Advisory Council (as
the law states) and dedicated staff to continue its work of evaluating, planning,
funding, and reporting on innovative and creative breast cancer research.

Sincerely,

Your Name

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Thankyou for taking action toend the breast cancer epidemic.

Until next time,

Pauli Ojea
Community Organizer

Our members are the driving force behind our efforts to end the breast cancer
epidemic. Because Breast Cancer Action does not accept funding from the government
or the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, we need your support. You can
donate online, or call 415-243-9301, or toll-free at 1-877-278-6722. All gifts are
deeply appreciated. Donate today through Network for Good at
http://%20https://www.networkforgood.org/donate/MakeDonation2.aspx?ORGID2=943138992

Breast Cancer Action is funded in part by a grant from the California Wellness
Foundation(TCWF). Created in 1992 as an independent, private foundation, TCWF's
mission is to improve the health of the people of California by making
grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention programs.




Breast Cancer Action
55 New Montgomery St. #323
San Francisco, CA 94105

Toll-free at 877-2STOPBC (278-6722)
http://www.bcaction.org
http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org
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